Loan of artifact from Chinese Temple before Oroville council Tuesday

OROVILLE — The Oroville City Council will Tuesday consider loaning an artifact from the Chinese Temple Complex to a New York museum for a planned exhibit.

The New York Historical Society requested a loan of the "Ship of Life" for an exhibit opening in September called "Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion."

A letter from the society calls the exhibit a "groundbreaking" narrative that integrates the experience of the Chinese into broader American history.

"Your beautiful 'Ship of Life' will help us establish the early settlement of Chinese in California and the active cultural life they established there," according to the letter from Marci Reaven, the society's vice president for history exhibitions.

"We will include many wonderful objects in the exhibit," the letter continues, "but few can offer the authenticity and rich cultural resonance of this one."

The "Ship of Life" is a gold leaf gilded teak carving, on display in the temple's council chambers.

The City Council will also consider waiving fees for the YMCA's comedy night fundraiser and 100-year anniversary at the Municipal Auditorium on Sept. 13.

Discussion of the fee waiver policy is also on the agenda.

The council will also consider an agreement with the Feather River Recreation and Park District in which the city would sweep the parking lots at Riverbend and Bedrock parks, and fill a water tank at Riverbend, in exchange for 25,000 gallons of water from a well at Riverbend.

A request to operate a skydiving business from the airport is also on the agenda.